three

 This month marks three years of officially being on the adoption road.

I wish I could write an insightful post on all the things I have learned these past few years, the scriptures I have clung to, the way God has used this time to draw me closer to Him but...

I'm pretty discouraged right now. I'm trying hard to hide it (why?) but last week I was eating Nutella out of the jar with a butter knife. 

For real. 

So, instead of faking insightful and wise and sweet, I thought I would post our adoption timeline. I read some blogger article recently about being positive as to not scare off your readers so, since I don't want to scare you away, I thought I'd join every other adoption blog out there and do the time line thing. 

Here it is, as best I can remember:

September 2005 – Decide to adopt during pre-marital counseling.

October 2005 – We get married:-)

June 2007 – Begin researching placement agencies. Decide to adopt from Ethiopia. Lindsy reads every adoption book ever written.

August 2007 – Pregnant with Moses! Adoption plans put on hold.

June 2008 – Moses is born!

October 2008 – Lindsy attends adoption seminar and we decide on a placement agency.

March 2009 – Officially apply to adopt from Ethiopia.

July 2009 – Home study complete.

August 2009 – Dossier complete.

August 2009 – Pregnant with Meadow! Adoption plans put on hold.

April 2010 – Meadow is born. Adoption journey begins again.

July 2010 – Home study updated.

July 2010 – Dossier #2 complete.

July 2010 – William is diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma. Adoption plans put on hold.

Second half of 2010 – Blur of surgeries and cancer treatments.

March 2011 – William is given a clean bill of health!

April 2011 – Meadow is diagnosed with calcifications on her basil ganglia (brain). We are unable to proceed with our home study update (required because of William's cancer) until a “diagnosis” is given by the pediatric neurologist.

August 2011 – Meadow is given a clean bill of health! Home study update #2 completed.

September 2011 – Dossier #3 mailed to Ethiopia.

October 19, 2011 – Ethiopia denies our case. (cancer)

October 26, 2011 – Switch to the Democratic Republic of Congo pilot adoption program.

November 2011 – Home study update #3 completed. Dossier #4 mailed to the DRC. Officially waiting for a referral for the first time in 2 ½ years!

November 18, 2011 – Matched with a 3 ½ year old little boy!

February 10, 2011 – The little boy we have been matched with was claimed by his uncle and sister. We are back on the referral list.

After three years, there are a lot of dates and details that I just don’t remember. We have been fingerprinted 3 times, received and then changed our CIS approval three times, completed 3 home study updates/amendments, 4 dossiers, been through 2 placement agencies, 2 home study agencies…

Now you understand the Nutella "incident".

There have been plenty of days in the past few years when I have not understood God's ways.

Today is one of those days.

But, I am choosing to have deliberate confidence in His character. Paul is so clear is Philippians when he says "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Until then, pass the butter knife.